Congress Crisis: ‘Was Informed by Him Personally’, Sibal Takes U-turn After Rahul’s Clarification on ‘Colluding With BJP’ Remarks

"Rahul Gandhi hasn’t said a word of this nature nor alluded to it. Pl don’t be mislead by false media discourse or misinformation being spread. But yes, we all need to work together in fighting the draconian Modi rule rather then fighting & hurting each other & the Congress", tweeted Surjewala. 

New Delhi: Congress veteran Kapil Sibal took a u-turn after slamming party leader Rahul Gandhi over his ‘colluding with BJP’ remark. Earlier in the day, Sibal and Ghulam Nabi Azad had hit back at Rahul after the former party president, at the CWC meet, accused ‘dissenters’ (the leaders who have written to Sonia Gandhi for organisational overhaul) of ‘colluding with the BJP’.

Notably, Sibal was among the 23 party leaders who have written to Sonia Gandhi seeking a “full-time” leadership that is active in the field and “visible” in party offices, dissolution of powers to state units and revamping the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in line with the party constitution, among other changes.

“The letter (to Sonia Gandhi about party leadership) was written at a time when Congress government in Rajasthan was facing a crisis, the right place to discuss what was written in the letter was CWC meeting and not the media”, said Rahul, accusing the signatories of the letter of colluding with the ruling party.

Reacting to it, Sibal listed his contributions to the party. He said,”Succeeded in Rajasthan High Court defending the Congress Party… Defending party in Manipur to bring down BJP Govt. Last 30 years have never made a statement in favour of BJP on any issue. Yet we are colluding with the BJP!” the Congress veteran had said in an apparent reference to Gandhi’s remarks.

Echoing similar remarks, Ghulam Nabi Azad said that he would resign from the party if he the charge that he is working with the BJP can be proven. “If you can prove that I am colluding with BJP, I will quit right now”, said Azad. He also praised Sonia Gandhi for leading the party amid the difficult times.

Ghulam Nabi Azad, during CWC, says he will resign if Rahul Gandhi's "collusion with BJP" remark can be proven: Sources

— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2020

Soon after their statement, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala issued a denial stating that Rahul had not stated or even alluded to such a charge during the CWC meet.  “Rahul Gandhi hasn’t said a word of this nature nor alluded to it. Pl don’t be mislead by false media discourse or misinformation being spread. But yes, we all need to work together in fighting the draconian Modi rule rather then fighting & hurting each other & the Congress”, tweeted Surjewala.

Sh. Rahul Gandhi hasn’t said a word of this nature nor alluded to it.

Pl don’t be mislead by false media discourse or misinformation being spread.

But yes, we all need to work together in fighting the draconian Modi rule rather then fighting & hurting each other & the Congress. https://t.co/x6FvPpe7I1

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) August 24, 2020

Following this, Sibal took a u-turn and said,”Was informed by Rahul Gandhi personally that he never said what was attributed to him. I therefore withdraw my tweet.”

As the CWC meeting began, Rahul Gandhi came down heavily on the ‘dissenters’ and questioned the timing of a letter which was sent to interim chief Sonia Gandhi seeking leadership change. Congress sources said that Rahul Gandhi at the CWC said, “What was the reason to write a letter when Sonia Gandhi was admitted in hospital and when the party was fighting the political crisis in Rajasthan.”